Tagged: teenage

Question for Matt & Jess: I am 14 (15 in a few months) and I am going to be a freshman. The boy I like is 13 and going to be in 8th grade. We will both be in high school together because our school doesn’t have a middle school, but is 2 years still too much of an age difference? Because soon I will be 15 and him still 13. I want to be sure that it’s appropriate. Thanks. :)— Female blog visitor, July 2014

JESS: When it comes to dating and relationships, the level of maturity and compatibility can be more important factors than age itself. Some people may not approve of your relationship, or think that the younger guy is in the relationship because ‘it’s cool to be dating an older girl’. The relationship is between you and your boyfriend, so if both of you share similar views (the most important one being that both of you are considerate and respectful to each other) and are committed to making things work out, that ultimately is what matters. Best wishes!

MATT: I agree with everything Jess said, but let me add another thought. Because of the age difference, you should consider what both families think. That doesn’t matter as much for experienced adults, but you guys are young enough to have your parents put large obstacles in your way, so it’s best to get both sets of parents on board first.

Okok well because I’m in a long distance relationship, and I think I’m in love with her (I’m bisexual just saying lol) and yeah well I told her, because I think I am, but im not sure what love is, but I’m scared to leave again because like I came here to where she and my other friends are
For a few weeks and I’m going back soon but I’m scared to leave, and we used to be BESTFRIENDS… Still are we used to be in a 3 way relationship but I left then because it didn’t feel so right and felt like I wasn’t ready, that’s when I was up to where in living now…but I came back here like I said for a few weeks,and I and a few
Friends had a
Few beer got
Feeling good and I decided to ask her
Out again, cuz I still liked
Her…it’s been like
Almost 2 weeks tomorrow…but I’m scared I might leave and like I know I won’t be back here till another while like that I might get tired and leave her but I don’t want to, it’s cuz I used to be that person who wouldn’t be in a relationship long, cuz it got boring…cuz a lot of people likes me but I wanted to do it new yeah know..but ya sorry for writing a whole life time book on here I just don’t know what to do like I love her and don’t want to fuck up… :(
– 15 year-oldbisexual female, Canada

MATT’S COMMENTS: It is difficult for Jess and I to give personal advice because of the risk of lawsuits from parents etc. For now, we have converted this reader’s specifics into a general question where we can input more general advice for anyone in that situation. Our re-phrasing of the question:

I have a history of changing relationships often. Now I want to be serious about someone, but it’s long distance. How can I get the person I like to trust me? How should I behave to make it work?– 15 year-old bisexual female, Canada

JESS: I have personally had a history of rather intense “relationship” situations (many times involving “unrequited love”!)…though in general, I think a very real kind of love is more supportive than disruptive. Meaning, there are a few basic elements that will help you to explore your own feelings on how deep your love is for a specific person. How much do you care for each other? Is there open and honest communication? Do you accept each other for what you really are, or do you expect each other to “change” to fit each other’s ideal notions of what you each “should” be?

The original question mentioned that you used to be best friends with this person. That does make things more complicated, though I greatly appreciate the value of friendship (and how that can be a very good foundation for a romantic/sexual relationship).

It’s good that you left the 3-way relationship because it didn’t feel right at the time — and that you’ve done some reflection and know you “used to be that person who wouldn’t be in a relationship long.” This suggests you are indeed looking for something more lasting with more depth. The problem is whether the other person is looking for the same thing as you (something serious, that might be long distance for a while).

The best way to get a person to trust you is to share with them your honest feelings about them. This will not always be appreciated, for various reasons. Sometimes, the other person is not yet ready to deal with such heavy emotions or situations. Sometimes, they have “somebody else” they’re interested in (but don’t wish to tell you in order to spare you any awkward feelings/situations). Sometimes, they really don’t care and are more interested in their own situations (these are people you seriously do not need in your life).

I am usually “just myself” when I love a person — I sometimes think of the following quote when I am in a difficult relationship situation:

“I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.” ― Marilyn Monroe

The more honest you are “as” yourself, the more likely you are to attract or eventually find someone who is what they are too (and who will like you for what you are, for your good as well as not-so-good qualities).

Don’t worry too much about messing things up if you are honest with your feelings. Let your friend know that you treasure their friendship too. It can be very painful to deal with rejection, but ultimately (in a sense), it’s the other person’s loss for not wishing to explore a deeper type of love with you (which leaves you free to look for someone else who is). Developing a healthy sense of self-esteem works wonders too (this will leave you feeling less distraught when facing difficult relationship/life situations).

You can try very hard to make things work, but remember that it takes the other person to “respond” to your efforts and put some effort into the thing too. This goes smoother when you both share a mutual care and open communication with each other. Such things cannot be forced though (hence the saying, “love is patient, love is kind”).

Just be yourself, be sincere, and be honest with your feelings, without allowing these feelings to totally consume you. In my personal experiences, I’ve found that journalling, talking to close friends/people I trust, and listening to music (and/or doing creative things) helped me deal with a lot of difficult feelings.

I’ve also noticed that people do tend to find what they “really, really want” if they persevere long enough. Long road but worth it.

JESS: A female’s libido (sex drive) and hormonal changes vary from month to month. These changes are different for different females too. So there could be a few reasons why a girl/woman feels more horny at certain times of the month.

Some females feel very horny JUST before their period begins. From a biological viewpoint,this is the time when a female’s body is ready to be impregnated. Her body is ready for fertilization — meaning it’s a good time for the egg to be fertilized by a sperm (from the male). This is the case “biologically,” whether or not you actually wish to get pregnant!

Another theory is that a female could feel hornier or sexier due to the increased blood flow and lubrication in her groin during that time of month. This feeling of being hornier can also help relieve PMS symptoms in some females (symptoms such as menstrual cramps). P.S. The latter applies to me :)

They say that sex for the first time (as a girl) is painful, is it true ? And if so, is there a way to avoid the pain?
— 15 year-old Teen Guide: Q&A blog visitor

MATT: A girl’s hymen is a tissue that covers the vagina during childhood. An intact hymen — not torn, broken, or removed — has been a common test of virginity worldwide. But this probably should not be so. There are many ways a hymen can be broken or removed besides being penetrated by a penis. It can be torn or broken during athletics. In some cases it can be stretched out of the way to allow the penis to enter the vagina (although this is very unusual). It can definitely be removed by a doctor, probably inside the doctor’s office, in a very minor procedure.

The most likely cause of pain during first sexual intercourse is the breaking of the hymen. But this doesn’t always hurt. For some girls/women, it’s nothing but a pinprick feeling. If you have a very thick hymen, breaking it might hurt some, but once it’s done, it’s done, and if the sexual encounter was a good decision, then the momentary pain won’t be a lingering source of worry.

Another possible source of discomfort can be the fact that your vagina is inexperienced with sex, and lacks the flexibility of a sexual active female’s vagina. In other words, it may be “too tight” and you may get some rubbing feelings or rash. If your partner forces his way in without waiting for your vagina to lubricate properly, this could happen. The rubbing, rash, and tightness go away with more frequent sex.

There are a few rare medical conditions that can cause pain during intercourse, for male or for female, but only a doctor can detect these. If you find that you have pain during sex after the first few times, talk to a gynecologist.

JESS: I’ll always remember how one of my (girl) friends described her first sexual experience. She said that it was really her “first time — with the blood and pain and everything.”

I also remember that some friends described it in a totally different way (one said that she was “prepared beforehand, so it didn’t hurt much” — another said it was great because she waited till she was “ready and comfortable with her boyfriend”).

As Matt says in his answer, sex for the first time (as a girl) can be painful if your hymen is still intact, or if you’re inexperienced and your partner penetrates you without getting your body comfortable and relaxed first [when a female is ready for sexual intercourse, her body is aroused and she gets “wet” (versus a male who gets “hard” when he is aroused)].

There are a couple of general ways to avoid or reduce the pain of first time sex for a female.

(1) By Yourself: You can explore your own body first, by sliding up a finger first, then two. I personally like this option because I’d like to get to know my own body first (before exploring with someone else).

Don’t just “shove your finger right in” because being rough right from the start isn’t going to help. Make sure your fingernails are short and that your fingers/fingernails are clean.

Gently explore as you get more aroused (you can switch between touching your clitoris while the other explores your vagina). It’s okay if only the tip of your finger may enter, at first. You might feel some resistance, but not so much that you feel pain, for a couple seconds, as you continue exploring. Over time, slowly work your way up to three fingers, or an object of equivalent size. This can take a week or less, or several months. It all depends on how elastic your hymen is and how relaxed and flexible your pelvic and vaginal muscles are.

(2) With a Trusted Partner: You can explore with your partner if it’s somebody you trust and who respects you. Good communication is essential, as you need to inform your partner if they are using too much pressure or going too fast.

The guy needs to go slowly and be very gentle, even though they might “feel” they must do it in an eager and rough way. When you are comfortable with your sexual partner, your muscles will be more relaxed, and you’ll be more ready for sex. You and your partner can have a bottle of lube on standby too, as it helps make penetration smoother.

Communication really is essential — if you discuss certain things beforehand (such as type of birth control; which activities you or your partner are not into for the time being), this will help you be more relaxed and less tense during first sexual intercourse. It also helps if you think about why you want to have sex for the first time with this person, so that you are more aware of some of the feelings or situations you might have to deal with later as a result of your first sexual encounter.